I
thank you for taking the time to recognise what has been a concern for
millions of listeners for quite a while by a way of jotting down those
few lines in response to my email of the 13th of February in relation to
the aforementioned matter concerning a service in decline, mediocre
journalistic performances by novice apprentices, and most of all Mr
Garaad's alleged misuse and abuse of position as the head of the
BBC-Somali service.

I
have to admit your response left me with the impression that perhaps Mr
Garaad is not alone in his campaign to recruiting less qualified
individuals with no credible track record in the field of journalism
placing emphasis on the conception that the selected persons qualify for
the job simply on the basis of vowing allegiance to certain groups,
supporting a particular faction or subscribing to a theology of some
kind.

I
suppose your listeners will have to do with your mere five-line response
in lieu of what was anticipated: a reassurance that a scheme to find a
viable solution to this predicament of which existence has not been so
far recognised judging from past communications with those in charge,
will be commissioned. An opportunity missed one might conclude here,
since anyone of the officers of the service including the accused could
have released a deductive summation perhaps dispelling allegations
levied against Mr Garaad or reassuring listeners of continued and
improved service into the 21st century, quality programmes, restoration
of the century-old policy of employing qualified persons on the basis of
merit rather than association, monitoring Mr Garaad's notorious,
oppressive style of management, foiling his plan of filling the
corridors of BBC-Somali service with menandwomen of his
close relations and of similar ideologies disposing of qualified men and
women of various denominations along the way.

However,
having observed writings of complaints to that effect by individuals who
share similar views, spoken with loyal listeners who expressed their
concerns as to the deteriorating conditions, the ill-fated manner and
conduct in which the show is currently being operated, exchanged emails
with a number of people with whom Mr Garaad had both professional as
well as social dealings, and finally studied the proceedings of the
latest litigation between employees of the services versus the gentleman
in charge, it seems apparent that the troubles go far deeper that they
appear on the surface. And as such are just surfacing at the moment
because insiders are coming forth in large numbers and in their protest
against the nature of Mr Garaad's recruiting practices, misuse of public
position and abuse of authority entrusted in him, and worse of all
applying bullying tactics in his daily supervision of his subordinates,
in particular those he learns to embrace varying viewpoints on
work-related matters. Talk about the demeanour of the late media mogul,
Mr Robert Maxwell of the Maxwell Media Group.

On
this notion, I would like you to cast your memory back to the affair
concerning the hon. MP Peter Mandelson of the Labour party who was
resigned from his cabinet post as HM Secretary for Northern Ireland for
abuse of public office over the SP Hinduja affair. I trust you are fully
acquainted with the account of the affair and my reason for recounting
it here is distinctive similarities between the two cases are
noticeable, except perhaps the latter case is of a greater concern to
million of listeners across the globe of which repercussions, if not
prevented, might have adverse effects on the way those millions view the
service.

Forgive
me, perhaps I am coming from a corporate culture where management
responds swiftly to assertions of this nature and in their endeavours to
rescue a brand name, a trademark, or an image, hence coffers
damage-control measures are undertaken, corrective schemes are devised,
clients or service recipients in this case are advised of the intentions
of the shareholders with regards to studying the subject matter and
commissioning an investigative, fact-finding research of which purpose
is to get to the root of the quandary. A press release, television/radio
commercials, communiqué via the Internet or other communication modes
have been used in past by corporations including Ford Car Manufacturer,
American Airline to name of a few to inform customers of how and what
management intends to improve quality of their product(s) along with
service(s) provided, introduce corrective measures, and amend the
overall formulae in the hope of retaining small percentage of their
original customer base.

I
do not see how the old beep is any different from any of those
corporations for services are provided, customers are targeted where
their satisfactions are sought, for the success and failure of any such
entity rests with customer satisfaction. Correct me if I am mistaken
here for equating the BBC-Somali service with a corporation in the
private sector, as I am in belief that organisations in the public
sector are to adhere to similar guidelines and policies to those
complied with by entities in the private sector.

Why
is it so difficult for those in charge to see the value to which
listeners attach to the service? Do you not realise the diversity,
abundance and competition awash in the airwaves? Are you not aware that
there are at least one radio station broadcast in Somali almost in every
city from Minneapolis to Atlanta, from Sydney to Oakland, from Stockholm
to Toronto, from Amsterdam to Cairo, from Hargeisa to Galkaio that are
available on the Internet? Mind you the quality of some of their
programmes are of first class.

Therefore
Ms Blackburn, I suggest that journalists at the BBC-Somali service:

·Give
equitable coverage of newsworthy issues ranging from news analysis toinformative programmes including cultural and literary, to
entertainmentprogrammes
to all parts of Somalia,

·Approach any
newsworthy story concerning Somalia as a country in a professional
manner devoid of any prejudice or favouritism towards any particular
regions, group or individual for that matter regardless of the relation,

·let the
listener decide which story he/she wishes to listen,

·Abide by the
governing policies and guidelines of the BBC so far as news stories in
relation to Somalia are concerned,

·Present the
news at it is and let the listener decide its importance,

·And finally
if it turns out the Mr Garaad has been conducting himself in an oblique
and an unprofessional manner I suggest appropriate punishment should be
passed, otherwise his acquittal and discharge from all wrong-doings.

·
Should that
not happen, I fear irreparable impairment to the quality of the service
is imminent costing the institution, the taxpayers and its millions of
listeners dearly in the long run.

I
shall welcome your feedback on the matter as a whole and thank you for
your attention.